


Going for a Walk

by 0JokingAround



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Nightmares, Papyrus Knows More Than He Lets On
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-11-18 00:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11279931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0JokingAround/pseuds/0JokingAround
Summary: What was Papyrus thinking?What was he seeing that he couldn't?





	1. Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fandom.
> 
> Ut Papyrus- Papyrus- Normal  
> Us Papyrus- Stretch- lowercase

"Have you ever had a nightmare before?"

It was a simple question. It was a yes or no question, it was that simple. Yet, he hesitated to answer because he knew there would be a follow up questions to it. Then again, he also knew that if he didn't answer, even more questions would follow up. He could lie to him.

A simple no and that's that.

"yes."

Stretch couldn't lie to him.

He didn't have it in him to lie to Papyrus...sometimes.

"What's it like?"

That...was not the follow up question he was expecting.

"what's it like?"

"Yeah! Is it...scary? Are they always scary?"

"uh...yeah, they're scary. scary, creepy, disturbing. nightmares are just...bad dreams."

"How do you get them?"

...He could read monsters and humans well enough. He could get a pretty good idea on what kind of being they were. Papyrus was different, though. He was probably one of the most kindest creatures he's ever met, but he was also very thoughtful. He thinks and sees things differently than most others, therefore, he couldn't get a good read on him at times.

He had different perspectives on things that sometimes he couldn't understand.

Stretch wished he did.

He wished he could think things in a more positive light.

Right now, this was one of those times that Papyrus was most likely thinking of something in a new way that he couldn't understand.

"well...there's different ways in getting one. sometimes they can be based off of a memory. sometimes you get them when you get sick. stress is another way to get them..."

"Hmmmm."

He might have told him too much. He looks a bit too suspicious now. If Sans or Red ever found out that he told Papyrus or Fell about their 'nightmares' they'll kill him. Ok, maybe not literally. He was already dead, but...they would make his life a living hell from then on. He knows they would too because if they were anything like him, he would do the same if they told Berry.

This conversation needed to stop. How did he let it get this far? Did Papyrus know more than he let on? Is that why he came to his house on such short notice, without so much as a call before like he always does? Why isn't he having this conversation with his brother?

Why him?

Now he feels like he's being interrogated or something. He either needed to change the topic quick or convince his friend to do something a puzzle or something. Maybe he could even pun his way out of this...

"Stretch."

Oh, that was not a cheery voice. Papyrus was wearing a frown on his face, too. This wasn't good. He needed to say something qui-

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"w-what?"

"Let's go for a walk. It'll be fun!" Papyrus stood up from the couch excitedly and extended his hand for him to take, grinning at him widely.

That caught him off guard. He could feel his mouth open and close, nothing but inaudible sounds coming out. What was Papyrus thinking? What was he seeing that he couldn't?

He accepted the hand and Papyrus helped him off the couch. Letting go of his hand, he watched his friend walk towards the door and open it for him, gesturing for him to go first. Stretch smiles at that and walked out the door, but not before hearing Papyrus whisper to him in a soft voice on his way out.

"It'll help a bit."

He froze on his front porch step.

**"what...?"**

Papyrus closed the door behind him gently and took a step to stand right beside him. He didn't look at him, and neither did he. They both looked forward, watching the snow fall and monsters walk around without a care in the world.

"Your brother is taking a walk with Red. Fell is going on one with Sans, too. We're going to meet up with them later at my house."

What the...what the hell was going on?

Stretch looked at him with a confused and shocked look on his face, but Papyrus continued to look forward.

"...p-papyrus...."

"We know you lazybones have nightmares."

He could feel his own soul pulse loudly against his rib cage.

"You three keep telling us it's nothing...that it's just a bad dream that'll go away. If that's the case...why hasn't it gone away yet?"

He could feel his magic starting to flare up in his eye socket. If Papyrus doesn't stop talking...

"Why do you guys try to hide it from us? We could still hear the crying and all the screaming...no matter how hard you try to cover it up."

"p-papyrus, you...you a-and berry and fell dont understa-"

"Has it ever crossed your minds that we do? That we want to understand?"

Papyrus was still not looking at him, but maybe it was a good thing. His voice dropped an octave or two, and it sounded anything but friendly. From what he could by the side of his face, his friend was trying to not to get angry with him.

The slight magic flickering in his eye socket said otherwise...

"we...we thought about it. we did...but-"

"But what? You don't want to hurt us?"

"e-exactly!"

"We're already hurt!"


	2. Horrible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was this how they felt?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fandom.
> 
> Ut Papyrus- Papyrus- Normal  
> Us Papyrus- Stretch- lowercase

They were looking at each other now, and he was honestly feeling a bit scared.

Papyrus never yelled at him before...not like this.

He couldn't even remember a time Papyrus was angry. Not a single time has he seen such anger from such a jovial guy. Orange magic was sparking erratically in his friend's eye sockets. His fists were shaking by his sides, and in the back of his mind he thought Papyrus was going to punch him.

He knew he wouldn't actually do it.

Papyrus was too nice to do that...but he wasn't about to test that or anything so he cautiously raised his arms up.

"h-hey, calm down paps..."

"No! No, I will not calm down! I'm...tired! We're so...so tired..."

"no, no, no, no d-don't cry. p-paps, come on, don't cry-"Stretch tried to get a hold on Papyrus' shoulders to calm him down, but his his hands were smacked away.

It kinda hurt...

"My brother won't tell me anything...he just...he keeps lying to me all the time! I know he is! You and Red are doing the same thing to your brothers! Fell and Berry know something is wrong, too!"

The magic in Papyrus' eye socket was fizzling a bit, slowly disappearing as more tears ran down his cheekbones. Stretch panicked, not knowing what to say or do. What the hell could he say? Not only did Papyrus know, but Fell and Berry did, too. His little brother knew...

Shit.

"I just want to help! I...want to understand...what's going on with him. I want my big brother to talk to me, but he won't! He'll lie, h-he'll change the subject, he'll try to p-pun h-his way out of it...he'll...run away from me."

Stretch looked down in shame. He would do that, too. He always felt bad for doing that to his brother. Sans and Red felt the same way. If that was the case... then everything Papyrus was saying was how Fell and Berry felt and thought. They were probably having this exact conversation with Sans and Red right now.

Damn.

They were all screwed.

He heard Papyrus hiccup and looked up. He watched him trying to wipe the tears off his face, but more just kept coming. He was practically a sobbing mess, and it made him feel horrible. The thought of his little brother and Fell looking like this made him feel even more horrible. Then, another thought occurred to him.

Was this how they felt?

Was this how Papyrus, Berry, and Fell felt like when they knew their big brothers were crying their soul out? Wanting to do something, but not really sure what to do or say? Horrible? Did they feel horrible every time their big brothers had an episode? If so...

He was the worst.

They were all the worst big brothers ever.

And here he was now...being the worst friend ever.

...This sucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who read, comment, and give out kudos to this story.


	3. Shut up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something more to all of it, isn't there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fandom.
> 
> Ut Papyrus- Papyrus- Normal  
> Us Papyrus- Stretch- lowercase

Stretch sighed, reaching for Papyrus and bringing him into a gentle hug. He patted him on the back softly, hoping it would calm the young skeleton. It seemed to be working to some extent. He didn't hear as many hiccups before, and he wasn't sobbing as loud, either. Papyrus hesitated at first, but he eventually hugged him back, too.

"I'm your friend...not your brother. Isn't it easier for you to tell me?"

...So that's why.

That's why he was the one Papyrus was talking to. That's why Fell and Berry were talking to the alternates of themselves or their brother. They thought it would be easier for their brothers to confess to someone who wasn't them. Stretch sighed. They really wanted to know.

They were desperate at this point.

"paps...it doesn't matter what or who you are to me. it's still not easy...it will never be easy."

"Why can't it be?"Papyrus said, pulling back from the hug and looking at him with tears still falling down his face.

His face looked so sad...it was heartbreaking to see such a usually cheery skeleton look so broken like this. Stretch sighed."i...i don't know, paps. i don't know."He knew that wasn't really an answer, but he still don't know what to say.

He didn't want to say anything. He didn't want to tell him the truth. It wasn't like resets were a thing anymore. The kids all saved in each of their universes above the surface, and haven't reset since then. If resets still existed, it would be easier to tell him.

Because he wouldn't remember a thing.

But now resets are a thing of the past. He would know everything now and wouldn't forget it. He didn't want to burden him. None of the older brothers want to burden their little brothers. It was painful enough hiding it from them...

They didn't want to share their pain.

Their little brothers deserved better...their friends deserved better.

Papyrus sniffed, hugging him once more and sighed."I guess Fell and Berry aren't doing any better than I am..."

"if Sans and Red are anything like me, which they are, than yeah. they're not getting anything out of them either."

"Our plan failed then."

Stretch pulled back to from the hug to look at Papyrus' face. He wasn't crying anymore and his hiccups were gone, too. Now, he just looked...tired. Sad and tired. He felt so guilty putting that kind of expression on his face.

"yeah...it did. i'm sorry, paps."

"So, there's really no point in going to my house anymore. There can't be an intervention if you guys won't talk."

Intervention.

That's going a bit too far...but he can't really blame them for wanting to go in that direction.

"we have our reasons, you know."

"We know."

Stretch flinched at the sudden harshness of his tone.

"It's always the same reason. To protect us right? To not worry us? Not only are you guys hurting us, but you're making things worse for not just yourselves, but for us, too!"

"w-worse? what do you-"

"We worry all the time! We feel hurt and betrayed everytime you tell us it's fine! That it's okay...and it's not okay! You're nightmares can't be just nightmares...it has to be more, right? There's something more to all of it, isn't there?"

Shit.

Dammit.

"it's not...we don't mean to-"

"Shut up."

Papyrus pushed away from the hug, and grabbed his cellphone out of his pocket. Stretch fell into the snow and found himself frozen on the spot. He was too much in shock to what just happened. Papyrus said that with such venom...and he actually put some force into that push. The fall would've actually hurt him if there wasn't any snow to cushion him.

"Any luck with you Fell? ...Nothing, huh? Do you know if Berry...nothing, either? Well, this was a waste of time wasn't it." Papyrus sighed.

Getting over his shock, Stretch got up and shook the snow off of him. He opened his mouth to try and say something, but he couldn't find any words to say. Then again, Papyrus told him to shut up, so that's what he'll do. It's not like he knew what to say anyway. He was truly speechless today wasn't he.

"Do you guys just want to go to hangout for awhile above the surface?...Is it alright if it's the one in the Tale universe? I heard there's a new park opening for human and monsterkind today, so it should be fun to see!...Ok, I'll meet you and Berry there." Papyrus ended his call and  
put his cellphone back into his pocket.

"do you uh...want me to teleport you to-"

"No."

Stretch flinched again. Now his tone and his glare was filled with nothing but poison in them. He watched Papyrus go back inside the house and followed him. He went down to the basement and started up the machine. He set its destination to the Tale universe and waited for the portal to open up.

"w-what about the walk? M-Maybe it'll help just like you said."

Papyrus ignored him.

Stretch reached out for Papyrus, feeling awful about this whole thing."paps, i'm sor-"

"Thanks for nothing."

Stretch felt tears building up in his eye sockets as Papyrus' words hit him hard as he watched him go through the portal.

Only when his friend fully transported and the portal close did he let his tear fall to the metal floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who read, comment, and give out kudos to this story.


End file.
